Nature-inspired antibacterial metals
Friday, March 15, 2019 - 08:51
in Physics & Chemistry
From aviation to medicine, various sectors are increasingly using materials that mimic the lotus plant, whose leaves have self-cleaning properties. Thanks to the bumpy surface structure covered with tube-shaped wax crystals, water falling on these leaves forms beads that roll off, carrying away dust and dirt. Using this naturally occurring lotus effect concept, a team of scientists has taken a quantum leap towards the production of self-cleaning sheet metal on an industrial scale. Supported by the EU-funded TresClean project, the team created a roughened surface on the metal that reduces wettability and prevents bacterial adhesion.